Archives: June 2015

Mistakes are good tools for learning new things and improving ourselves. But for those of us who are responsible for the professional well-being of others – there are things to know before making these mistakes!

1. Lack of feedback.
According to a large poll by the Ken Blanchard Companies, not giving feedback is one of the most important and common mistakes that managers and leaders alike make. This way, feedback helps your people improve by giving them the opportunity at the time of feedback.

2. Being to much of a ‘hands-off’ manager.
If something needs to get done and the manager is not there to provide guidance or support for it, the project has the possibility of being done wrong.

Micromanagement is another awful extreme, but the opposite is just as bad, too.

3. Not making enough time for your team.
Yes, we’re all busy and our schedules are jam-packed. But making sure that we’re being attentive to the people we over see – even when we have just a bit of time – is extremely effective in terms of support.

4. Failing to define expectations.
When clear goals are not made, they are not met either. Productiveness is difficult when there are no clear cut goals put in place for your team. Also, prioritizing is impossible in such circumstances.

5. Being too nice.
While we are friendly and compassionate people deep down, making tough decisions regarding people in your team will happen eventually. You do not want a situation where some people with whom you are closer with to take advantage of your friendship. Definitely socialize with your team, but make sure you know the balance between being a boss and being a friend.

6. Speeding up recruitment.
Filling a vacant role too quickly is a disastrous mistake as you, your team, and the new hire are confused and left in a sticky situation. this can also lead to filling the position with the wrong person that does not fit well into your team. Also, there will be training involved if there is a big learning curve. The wrong person will be wasting your time if you’re training them.

7. Misunderstanding your role as a leader.
Being a manager is a completely different role than anything you had before. Learning the additional information and skills on how to manage best will help you develop yourself to be an effective boss. It’s about dealing with people and supporting your team, and making sure all output is being met with quality and precision.